Refrigerant



April 1935- I J. B. CHURCHILL 1,996,538

I REFRIGERANT Filed Oct. 2, 195a EI/HPORHTOR EXPHNS/ON I v CONDENSER l3COMPRESSOR RECEIVER INVENTOR.

Patented Apr. 2, 1935 REFRIGERANT Jesse B. Churchill, Plympton, Mara,assignor of one-third to Harry D. Edwards, Larchmont, Y N. Y., andone-third to Edward T. Williams,

Pelham Manor, N. Y.

Application ottom- 2, 1933, Sam No. scams 7 Claims. (on. 62-178) Thisinvention relates to a substance and a process for using the same forrefrigerating purposes, such as air conditioning, cooling water, coldstorage and all other classes of refrigeration where excessively lowtemperatures are not required. It is an object of the present inventionto provide a refrigerant of low cost which will produce dependable anduniform performance under any given set of conditions with entire safetyand high efficiency. v

A further object of the invention is to provide a practical andeflicie'nt process of refrigeration in which the refrigerant may becompressed by the action of a rotary or centrifugal compressor and isboth evaporated and condensed at pressures below atmospheric pressure.

It is a still further object of the invention to provide a practical andeflicient process of refrigeration in which the refrigerant isevaporated by reducing the pressure thereon below atmospheric pressure,the resulting vapor raised to a pressure below atmospheric pressure andcooled to liquefy the vapor and this liquefied vapor returned to bevaporized again.

To satisfactorily obtain these objects the refrigerant should have thefollowing properties and characteristics:

1.. It should be non-corrosive to any material used in the constructionof the refrigerating system with which it comes in contact.

2. The volume of vaporized refrigerant, per unit of refrigerationproduced should be such as to permit a reasonable construction of thecompressor or prime mover, both as to size and with due considerationfor the minimizing of friction losses.

3. Its condensing pressure at high atmospheric temperatures should notbe appreciably above atmosphere pressure.

4. Its relation between the latent heat of vaporization and the specificheat of the liquid should be such that the heat taken up in theevaporator shall be a maximum per unit of compressor displacement.

5. Its pressure temperature relations should be such that the requiredtemperatures can be produced at high efliciency and at pressures thatwill not require excessively heavy construction of the compressor andother parts of the system to insure against its escape therefrom.

6. It must be stable and incapable of decomposition at any temperatureexisting in the system under the most adverse conditions of operation.

7. It should not decompose or hydrolyze into corrosive or injurioussubstances in coming in 5 contact with water or moisture which mightaccidently be introduced into the system.

8. The toxicity, flammability, and explosive range when mixed with airshould below and its boiling point should be above normal atmospherictemperatures so it will not readily change to the vapor phase whenexposed to the air.

9. It should not decompose on coming in contact with an open flame intohighly toxic or irritating substances. 15

10. It should have no chemical action on oil used in the system forlubrication.

1 1. Its vapor density should be high for centrifugal compression.

12. Its freezing point should be low. 20

13. Its critical temperature and critical pressure should both be high.

14. The process of its production should be simple and inexpensive.

15. The materials for its production should be plentiful and of lowcast.

16. Its properties should be such as to minimize shipping hazard.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the followingdescription taken in connection with the accompanying drawing, wherein,

The figure is a diagrammatic view illustrating a refrigerating system of-usual construction. This system includes a compressor iii driven by amotor ii. The compressor discharges compressed refrigerant vapor into acondenser l2 in which the gas is cooled and liquefied and flows bygravity into a receiver i3. Liquid refrigerant flows from the receiver13 through'liquid line it to an expansion valve l5 and expands intoevaporator coil 95. The vapor is returned through suction line it to thecompressor.

After much investigation and research, I have discovered thatisopropyl-chloride (2-chloro-- propane) possesses properties, ingenerous measure, to meet the foregoing enumerated requirements.Iwpropyl chloride is a water-white colorless liquid. It has an odorsomewhat similar to ethyl chloride. It is non-corrosive and verystable.- It will not hydrolyze in contact with water at any temperatureexisting during the operation of the refrigerating system.

Isopropyl chloride has the following physical properties:

Formula: CaH'I or Molecular weight-78.512. Boiling point-365 C.9'7.'l E.Freezing point-117 C.178.6 F. Viscosity--15 C.-335 centipoise.Viscosity-30 C.286 centipoise. Density of liquid- 365 C.-97.7 F..83260Cu. ft. per #1 atmos.-70 F.--4.924. Weight of 1 cu. ft. atmos.'70F.0.2030 #s. Ratio of specific heats Solubility in water- 32" lit-0.438%by weight F.--0.361% by weight 68 F.0.304% by weight 86 F.0.303% byweight Specific heat of liquid Critical temperature 450-500 F.

Critical pressure 600-680 #s/sq. in.

In my process of refrigeration using isopropyl chloride the refrigerantliquid is evaporated by heat extracted from the substance cooled and therefrigerant vapor is compressed and then condensed as in the usualcompression system. The liquefied and cooled refrigerant being returnedto be again evaporated and such cycle of operations is continuous. Therefrigerant may also be employed in the so-called absorption systemwhich involves evaporating the refrigerant by reducing the pressurethereon below atmospheric pressure, raising the resulting vapor to apressure below atmospheric pressure and cooling the same to liquefy thevapor and returning the liquefied refrigerant to be vaporized again.

It will be obvious to those skilled in the art that various changes maybe made in my invention without departure from the spirit of the sameand therefore,the invention is not limited to what is described in thespecification but only as indicated in the appended claims.

What is claimed isi. A refrigerating process which comprises evaporatingisopropyl chloride by reducing the pressure thereon below atmosphericpressure compressing the resulting vapor to a pressure below atmosphericpressure and cooling the same to liquefy the vapor and returning theliquefied isopropyl chloride to be again vaporized.

2. A process of refrigeration which comprises evaporating, compressingand condensing isopropyl chloride under a pressure at all times notmaterially greater than one atmosphere.

3. A process of refrigeration which comprises evaporating compressingand condensing isopropyl chloride in a partial vacuum.

4. A process of refrigeration which comprises evaporating, compressingby centrifugal action, and condensing isopropyl chloride all in apartial vacuum.

5. A process of refrigeration which comprises evaporating, compressingby centrifugal action, and condensing isopropyl chloride all in apartial vacuum.

6. The process of refrigeration which comprises evaporating isopropylchloride at a pressure below atmospheric pressure, compressing theevaporated isopropyl chloride at a pressure not materially greater thanapproximately atmospheric pressure. I

7. The process of refrigeration which consists in evaporating liquidisopropyl chloride by heat drawn from a substance being cooled, removingthe vapor of said isopropyl chloride at such a rate that the pressureofv vapor does not materially exceed that of the atmosphere, changingsaid vapor to liquid, and returning said liquidfor re-evaporation.

JESSE B. CHURCHILL.

